Physicist
Physicists study the behaviour of matter and energy and form theories to explain how everything fits together.
- Starter salary£28,000 a year
- Experienced£61,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 40 a week
- Green jobPotential
What you'll do
As a physicist, you could:
- design and conduct experiments, and supervise research
- solve problems, make new discoveries and develop products
- analyse data and build computer simulations, using mathematical modelling
- develop theories to explain observations and predict natural phenomena
- publish and present research findings
Working environment
You could work at a research facility, in a laboratory or at a university.
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time and you may spend nights away from home.
You may need to wear protective clothing.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- knowledge of physics
- maths knowledge
- knowledge of engineering science and technology
- the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
- to be flexible and open to change
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to use your initiative
- persistence and determination
- to have a thorough understanding of computer systems and applications
How to become a physicist
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- a graduate trainee scheme
University
You can do a degree to start your career in physics. The course you choose will depend on your area of interest.
Course examples include:
- physics
- astrophysics
- mathematics
- medical physics
- computer science
- engineering physics
If you do not have the required entry qualifications to do a physics degree, you may be able to do a 1-year physics foundation course before moving onto a degree.
Some physics degrees combine an undergraduate course with a postgraduate master's qualification, like an MPhys or MSci. On these, you'll do more independent research, and courses can lead to further study for a PhD.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including maths and physics
- a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study
Apprenticeship
You could apply for a Degree Apprenticeship work-based training scheme. There are a lot of options available to develop your skills in physics.
Examples include:
- Robotics Engineer Level 6
- Nuclear Scientist Level 6
- Space Systems Engineer Level 6
- Scientist Level 6
- Research Scientist Level 7
These apprenticeships take between 3 and 5 years to complete.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship
Other routes
You may be able to apply for a place on a graduate training scheme with a commercial company, government department or university, after completing your degree or postgraduate qualification.
Career path and progression
With experience, you can lead and manage the work of a research team. This could be in one of many different areas, for example:
- education, teaching the scientists of tomorrow
- materials science, investigating the properties of superconductors
- energy engineering, developing alternative fuels
- medical research, building more sensitive scanners
- aerospace, designing instruments for satellite systems
Physicists play an important role in the economy. You can learn more about the different career options from the Institute of Physics.
Career tips
Try to get some work experience to find out more about job roles and the areas where you could apply your knowledge and skills as a physicist. Look out for:
- internships and vacation schemes
- EDT work placements
Guides for this industry
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